Our yard is, quite literally, that scene in Snow White when she sings A Smile and a Song. Squirrels, chipmunks, bunnies, birds…we’ve got ’em all. It’s an adorable change from our past life in a more urban part of town where the only animals that would visit us were raccoons pawing through the trash cans.

The big downside of this all is that the fruit and vegetable garden I’d always envisioned is impossible to maintain out here without a series of raised garden beds, wire fencing, and tree guards. Being new to the gardening scene, I’ve been clued in to the wonders of coyote urine as a natural critter repellent (WHO harvests this stuff?), and other weird tricks of the trade to keep the critters out. I wanted herbs ASAP, and planting them out of the reach of rabbits was a one concern of mine; lack of space, the other.

Cathleya Schroeckenstein is the Managing Director of Momtastic, covering style, DIY, food, shopping, and life. Based in Minneapolis, MN, she loves soft cheeses, spinning, dogs with massive underbites, and is convinced that one day she will finally meet Kelly Ripa and they will be BFFs 4-ever.